Family Ties and the Magic Which Binds Them
by Old-fashionedAnglophile
Summary: Now married, Jessica Fletcher-Hazlitt is looking forward to a life of leisure with her husband, but her past soon beckons her back to her roots. Answering that call brings her back to Hogwarts and to a family she only ever dreamed of having. Then when war looms on the horizon, she prepares her godson to face the coming threat. Books 1-7. Read 'Of Marriage and Murder' for background
1. Prologue: The Boy Who Lived

The night was dark and had a biting chill. It was the first day of November 1981, specifically a Tuesday. On this night Minerva McGonagall could be found sitting on a garden wall on a plain Muggle street like any normal cat. She was completely lost in her thoughts, still trying to grasp the events of the last day. No one, not even the great Albus Dumbledore could have predicted what had happened.

The night before had caused both great joy and great sorrow. It both revived and devastated. While most were celebrating others were in mourning for despite the defeat of one of history's Darkest wizards their newfound peace came at a heavy price. Two of Hogwarts' most promising alumni had been cut down before their prime, leaving behind a one year old child.

If cats could cry she would have at that moment. She had taught James and Lily Potter for seven years and still couldn't believe that they were gone. They had been so full of life, and she had been close to them after their graduation. Sure it was only a rumor so far, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless.

Minerva knew that there was another person who would be even more touched by the loss than she. Her cousin Jessica Fletcher had been Lily's mentor and friend throughout her Hogwarts career. Lily had even made her the godmother of her son Harry. Jessica loved her and Harry like they were her own children because she had never had any of her own. And now she was losing both of them in one day.

A quiet crack behind her signaled the arrival of another person. She didn't dare to move for fear that it was a stray Death Eater. She breathed out a sigh of relief as balls of light flew past her and she realized that it was her purple-robed husband, Albus and his Deluminator. The street was plunged into darkness and before she had the chance to transform his soft voice rang out from behind her.

"Fancy seeing you here, Minerva."

She transformed back into her normal form in her emerald robes, smiled grimly at him and cut right to the chase.

"Is it true what they're saying Albus? Lily and James…? Harry…?"

The older man simply bowed his head and her tears silently began to fall. Albus opened his arms and his trembling wife walked into his embrace. He could feel her shaking accompanied by the skin of her face being nearly frozen.

"Minerva, you're freezing. I'm glad that I remembered a spare cloak," he remarked as he pulled the shrunken cloak out of his pocket. With a tap of his wand he had enlarged the dark green fabric and fastened it around her shoulders, all without letting go of her. She nodded to him in thanks as she dried the tears from her face with a white handkerchief she had brought with her and stepped away from him.

"That poor, sweet child," she murmured. Suddenly her brow furrowed in confusion. "Where is he Albus?"

"Rubeus is bringing him," he replied as he checked his watch. "He's late."

She swallowed back her thoughts on how Rubeus Hagrid could be gentle with an infant and decided to ask a far more burning question.

"Where is he to go Albus? Where is Harry going to be raised?"

"Here, by his mother's sister. She is the only blood relation he has left."

Her eyes widened in horror.

"No. This is the worst possible place for him to live. You remember how Petunia treated her sister after she got her letter, and after she married James. Their son is an absolute menace as well. I've watched them all day and he can't be left in such conditions."

She was about to go into a full blown tirade when a low rumble began to sound. As the large, loud, and airborne vehicle came to a crashing landing she almost began banging her head on the brick wall of Number Four Privet Drive out of sheer exasperation. She looked at her husband incredulously.

"Of all the ways for the child to get here, you picked the most conspicuous and noticeable mode of transportation imaginable?"

"I actually had no part in that Minerva," Albus answered as he looked at the machine in wonder.

Hagrid, who hadn't been paying attention up to this point, grinned as he passed Minerva the baby.

"Sleepy little one he is. Fell asleep somewhere over Bristol."

"Where did you get the motorcycle Hagrid?" Albus asked quietly so as not to wake Harry.

"Sirius Black lent it to me. That reminds me, I should be getting it back to him."

After several minutes of trying to keep Hagrid and his "goodbye" from waking the Muggles on the street he finally left. As Minerva and Albus watched the motorcycle disappear into the sky a sharp crack sounded at the end of the street. The couple on the Dursley's front walk turned to toward the figure advancing in their direction. In seconds their wands were in their hands and pointed in the new person's direction. The figure let out a rather feminine huff as she raised her lit wand up to her face. A pair of clear, blue eyes looked out from an exasperated and grieving face.

"Jessica," Minerva said in relief as she lowered her wand. "I'm so sorry."

The other professor was wearing Muggle clothes, a pair of slacks, tennis shoes, and a jacket to fight the cold. She put her wand back up her sleeve and reached out for Harry. Minerva gently put the boy in his godmother's arms and watched the woman's face break into a fond smile.

"Thank you Minerva," she replied sadly. "I just wish that people weren't celebrating the deaths of those poor children."

"What are you doing here Jessica?" Albus asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I am here to retrieve my godson. His parents are dead, which leaves him in my care," the woman responded evenly as she protectively cradled the small baby. She smiled lovingly at the child and gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "I'm the only level head he has left."

"He can't stay with you Jess. I forbid it," he replied with a trace of hostility. "Voldemort is not gone completely. He will only ever be safe with a blood relative."

"Well Voldemort can go bugger himself for all I care," she replied in a sing-song voice so as not to wake Harry.

Minerva snorted inelegantly at her cousin's profanity, but Albus wasn't so amused.

"You want the best for him don't you? We both know that you can't provide for him. You are now a widow after all, and you haven't raised a child in years, let alone your own."

Jessica stiffened and he knew that he had struck a nerve. She was torn between looking lovingly at the sleeping bundle in her arms and glaring at her superior. She kept it up for a few moments before relenting, albeit reluctantly. She knew what the right choice was.

"Fine," she replied coldly. "Just for him, not you."

Albus nodded and pulled a letter out of the pocket of his cloak and set it on the step. He then gestured for Jessica to hand him the child. The woman took a step back with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"You can't be serious Albus."

Minerva looked at him equally incredulously.

"You plan to leave a small child on a doorstep in winter-like conditions? And explain to his relatives, who have never met him, that he is being foisted on them because of a madman slaughtering his parents, in a letter?"

When he said nothing in reply his wife turned in a huff to her cousin, hugged her and the child and went to the end of the street and disapparated. Jessica looked back at her cousin's husband.

"Go," Jessica croaked out.

"What?"

"Go Albus." Her voice suddenly had a raw sound that could only be caused by stifled tears. "Leave me alone to say goodbye to my godson you coward."

"Jess, I-."

"Don't you bloody dare Albus Dumbledore. If we weren't in a Muggle area and if I didn't love my cousin you would be in excruciating pain right now," she hissed. "There is nothing you could possibly say to make this better. Just leave. One of these days you'll push me too far."

He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Instead he turned on his heel and retreated to the end of the street. He put the lights back on with the Deluminator before taking one last look at Number Four. All he could see in the dim light of the moon and the street lamps was Jessica and Harry. He had begun to fuss and she was soothing him. A small sound floated toward him from their direction.

"Oh my poor little babe, how much you've suffered. I'm here Harry, stop your tears. You're safe from that monster now. Nothing will get to you when you're in my arms."

It was a scene that just looked so right that he had to swallow back the emotion building up in his throat. She was right, he was a coward. Before he could change his mind he too disapparated and arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, just as Jessica rang the bell.

He had a hunch that he would be sleeping on the couch tonight and for several nights after. He wasn't quite looking forward to his wife's fury, so he hadn't apparated straight into the castle. At least the long walk would give them time to cool down in her case, and to prepare in his.

…

Petunia Dursley was having the best sleep she had been able to have in the past year and a half. That was one of the reasons why she was so reluctant to get out of bed when the bell woke her at about midnight. At least Dudley hadn't woken.

 _Thank heaven for small blessings_ , she thought to herself as she pulled on her dressing gown and trudged down the stairs. She wasn't sure what she was expecting to see when she opened the door, but a woman holding a baby certainly wasn't it.

"I'm sorry ma'am, can I help you?" she asked rather impatiently.

"Petunia Evans? I'm sorry, Petunia Dursley?" the unfamiliar older woman asked.

"Yes. Can I do something for you?" she asked in slight shock. _How could this woman, a stranger no less, know my maiden name?_

"I apologize for intruding at such a late hour, but may I come in? I must discuss a matter of grave importance with you."

"What is it?"

"Not something that can be discussed on the street, if you catch my meaning," the woman said pointedly. She raised an elegant eyebrow.

Petunia's blood instantly ran cold. She chanced a glance at the child in the woman's arms and nearly fainted at the sight of a shock of black hair. Without a word she moved out of the way so that the woman could enter.

"Please go into the livingroom and sit down. I have to wake my husband."

The stranger obliged and sat quietly while Petunia quickly crept upstairs. She slipped into her bedroom and gently shook her husband awake.

"Vernon, Vernon!" she whispered.

"What is it Petunia?" he muttered sleepily.

"There's someone downstairs who needs to speak with us."

He glanced at the clock.

"What could anyone bloody want at this hour?" he groaned.

"Vernon, I think it's about the Potters."

In less than a second he woke up completely. Without a word he went downstairs with his wife trailing behind him. He walked into the livingroom to get a good look at the stranger in his house. She was an older blonde with short, curly hair. She looked relatively normal aside from the evidence of tears all over her face, and sat daintily and properly on the sofa. She was also cradling a child wrapped in blankets in her arms. He sat in his chair and waited for his wife to perch on the arm of the chair before cutting to the chase.

"Who are you?"

"I am Jessica Fletcher. I take it you know about Petunia's sister and her abilities Mr. Dursley?"

"Oh, so you're one of the freaks then?" he asked bluntly.

The woman stiffened slightly.

"I will forget I heard that young man," she said indignantly. "Now I am the English professor at Hogwarts. I taught Lily Evans and her husband throughout their schooling and was very close to them."

Petunia brought a shaking hand to her mouth as the blood drained from her face. She had heard the past-tense so cleverly hidden in the statement.

"My god… she's gone isn't she?"

Jessica's expression grew grim.

"For the past year the Potter family has been in hiding from an exceedingly powerful Dark wizard known as Voldemort. They were some of his most avid opposers. I am sorry to say that last night both Lily and James Potter were murdered in their home in Godric's Hollow trying to protect their son. They were caught without their wands and had no chance. He tried to kill young Harry as well, but somehow the child defeated him."

Petunia's hand fell limp into her lap. She looked at the baby.

"That's Harry isn't it?" she asked faintly.

"Yes," Jessica replied. "He survived something that many more powerful wizards than he can not."

"May I see him?"

Jessica nodded and stood to hand the child to his aunt. As Petunia looked at the child Jessica handed the letter from Dumbledore to Vernon. He quickly scanned the message and put his head in his hands.

"Is this man insane?"

"Perhaps. If he had had his way he would have just left Harry on your front steps with that letter."

Vernon shook his head in disbelief while his wife looked at Jessica.

"Is there no one else who can take care of him?"

"I am his godmother, but I have been ordered to leave him here. You are to be his guardians."

She was met with silence.

"I trust that the letter offers enough explanation?"

Both of her companions nodded.

"Right then," Jessica said. She quickly pulled out a pen and pad of paper. She scribbled down her Cabot Cove address.

"If you need to reach me, write please. I would like to hear about him from time to time."

Petunia handed the baby to her husband and went to put the paper in the kitchen.

"I'll take my leave of you now," Jessica murmured. She turned to leave, but went back over to Harry. She bent and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead as he lay in Vernon's arms.

"Good luck Harry Potter," she whispered gently. Then she looked at Vernon.

"Take care of him. He will be a special boy."

With that she straightened and walked to the door. She opened it, and without looking back Jessica Fletcher disappeared into the crisp autumn night. At that very moment, witches and wizards across Great Britain and the world were raising their glasses collectively to one person.

"To Harry Potter… the Boy Who Lived."

The next morning it was Minerva who discovered her cousin's rooms in Hogwarts empty of her belongings. She left nothing behind but her letter of resignation. Minerva couldn't find it in herself to blame her. Nor could Albus or anyone else for that matter. Who could have known that in ten years time that she would once again cross over the threshold as a professor?

 **Hope you've enjoyed the prologue. Please leave feedback because I want to make this story the best it can be. All constructive criticism is welcomed.**


	2. Chapter 1: Decisions, Decisions

Albus Dumbledore was in a pickle. Hagrid had just retrieved the Philosopher's Stone from Gringotts as he had been instructed. Now it needed to be protected. That in itself was not his problem.

Hagrid had also ensured that young Harry Potter would be attending his first year at Hogwarts. He was slightly nervous because the boy's aunt and uncle had seemed to know more than they let on. While troubling, that wasn't his problem either.

His problem was that he needed to find someone to protect Harry at the school. Albus knew that there was a follower of Voldemort among his teaching staff, but wasn't sure who it was. He needed someone to watch over the boy while he tried to root them out with the Stone. He just had no idea how he was going to do that.

All of the teaching positions were filled. It would be suspicious if whoever he brought on wasn't a professor.

 _Think Albus, think_ , he mused. _There must be a position you haven't filled._

Finally he realized that he couldn't think of any, so he stood from his desk and went to his wife's office. When he arrived, Minerva McGonagall was looking through her last-minute curriculum changes. When her husband entered the room she looked up and broke into a smile.

"What brings you down here?" she inquired as she organized her papers on her desk.

"I am trying to think of what teaching positions we have vacant for someone protecting Harry to fill, but not one comes to mind. I was hoping that you had an idea."

She gave him one one long look before responding.

"There is only one that I can think of. It is a very necessary position, but it has sadly been vacant for the last decade Albus."

"Which one is that?"

"We haven't had an English professor in ten years. Lucky for us I know the perfect person for the job."

The revered headmaster blanched, almost comically, at the thought.

"No. I can't ask her to come back here."

"You have to Albus, and that's that. She deserves to be able to keep her godson safe, and Hermione would be ever so pleased to have her as a teacher."

He knew that protest would be futile, because he also knew that she was right. Grudgingly he went back to his office to write the letter and send it along with Fawkes. He sat back and waited. He knew she would come. Then he realized that he had made a mistake. It would be 5:30 in the morning when she got the letter. He began to prepare himself for her inevitable wrath.

…

Jessica Fletcher-Hazlitt was making breakfast at 5:25 in the morning when her husband finally came downstairs. Seth Hazlitt took a moment to look at the vision before him. Jessica hadn't yet noticed him. She was busy flipping pancakes at the stove with her apron on over her jogging clothes. It was their routine to go jogging at 6:00, so he was dressed similarly. As she put the finished pancakes on plates he could hear her softly humming an old Gaelic lullaby.

"Good morning love," he said as he finally decided to go into the kitchen.

"And a fine morning it is," she replied cheerfully, hanging up her apron on its hook. She turned around with a smile on her face and gave him a quick kiss.

Both of them were quite happy because the day before had marked their second wedding anniversary. There had ended up being a large gathering by the cliffs for the town to celebrate the occasion. Neither Seth nor Jessica were much for being the center of attention so they had gone for an hour and a half before slipping away to have a quiet dinner at home.

As they sat and ate breakfast they couldn't believe how perfect their life was, and wanted desperately to just capture that moment. Seconds later the pleasant silence shattered. Seth was in the middle of coating his pancakes in maple syrup when, at exactly 5:30, a ball of fire appeared in their kitchen. On reflex Jessica had her wand in her hand and a shield charm up in less than a second, which she dropped when the flames receded. She turned to her husband to make sure that he was unharmed and had to stifle a giggle.

"Are you alright Seth?" she asked as she looked her syrup drenched husband up and down.

"Do I look alright?' he thundered. He took of his glasses and tried to rub the sticky film off of the lenses and onto his sweatshirt. He grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling of being covered in the syrup.

"Would you like help dear?" Jessica asked, holding up her wand with a chuckle. He nodded, and she used a quick cleaning charm to clear him of all the syrup.

"Thanks Jess," he mumbled in relief. He put his glasses back on his face and looked toward the middle of the room only to let out a cry of shock. Jessica's eyes followed his and she groaned as her eyes landed upon a large and beautiful bird covered in red and gold plumage. She stood to walk over to the bird, but Seth caught her arm.

"Are you insane? You don't know where it's been!"

"Yes I do," she said in exasperation, pulling her arm gently from his grasp.

"Where did it come from?" he asked as she began to stroke the preening bird.

"Seth, meet Fawkes the Phoenix. He is Albus Dumbledore's familiar." She pointed to each of them in turn. The bird let out a musical cry.

"Charmed," Seth replied faintly with wide eyes.

"He won't bite you dear. He wants you to come pet him," Jessica said, beckoning him forward. He stood and made his way over. He put out his hand and tentatively began to stroke the bird. As he gradually grew more comfortable with Fawkes, Jessica took the roll of parchment from within the Phoenix's talons. Seth watched her as she read it and saw the irritation grow on her face. Finally she threw the offending missive into the air and growled "incendio," lighting it on fire. He gulped as he saw the ashes float to the ground.

"Change of plans dear," she said, surprisingly calmly, as she began putting her breakfast into a container. "I can't go running with you this morning."

"Why?" he asked as she put the container into the refrigerator. Jessica turned back to him and sighed.

"Albus has urgent business he wants to discuss with me," she huffed as she put her plate in the sink.

"Alright then," Seth replied grabbing his car keys. "Where are you meeting him?"

"Oh," she said, noticing that he was holding his keys. "We couldn't possibly drive there love."

"Try me Jess. I'll take you."

"He wants to meet with me at Hogwarts."

His mouth fell open

"And just how does he expect you to get to Scotland this morning Jess?

She looked at him like he was crazy not to see the obvious.

"Why do you think he sent Fawkes?"

Seth couldn't get anything else out of her because she walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs. He sat for a few minutes absentmindedly stroking Fawkes, marveling at the beauty of the creature before him and wondering how he could possibly get her across the ocean this morning. Jessica came back downstairs and went straight to the cookie jar to get Fawkes a cookie. She turned to her husband and noticed that he was looking quizzically at her.

"What?" she asked. "Is there something in my hair?"

"No dear, just… what are you wearing?"

She looked down at herself and realized that she was wearing her turquoise teaching robes. He had never seen wizarding robes before.

"I'm sorry Seth. I'd forgotten that you'd never seen wizard robes before. This is the normal clothing for most wizards and witches. I'm sorry if it bothers you."

"Oh, I'm not bothered," he assured her. "In fact, you look quite fetching dear."

"You're incorrigible."

"But it's true! The way it hugs your curves makes you more irresistible than usual."

He took the proffered cookie with a grin and gave it to Fawkes. The bird warbled in thanks after gobbling the treat down. He jumped off of the chair he was perched on and moved to Jessica's shoulder. He nuzzled her face and she chuckled. She turned to Seth and planted a quick peck on his lips.

"I'll be home in a few hours or less. I'll be back in time for supper."

"Roger that. See you tonight love."

In a ball of fire both the woman and the bird disappeared from the kitchen. Seth went back to his pancakes and suddenly Mort Metzger burst in through the back door.

"Are you alright Doc?"

"Yes. And just why wouldn't I be?"

"Sorry Doc. I thought that I saw a fire through the window."

"I think you need your eyes checked Mort," he grouched, shaking his head in silent amusement.

…

Albus had just popped a lemon drop into his mouth when Fawkes reappeared with Jessica, nearly causing him to choke. She looked calm and collected, but he could feel angry magic rolling off of her in waves. She stepped over to his desk and didn't even flinch as Fawkes leapt off of her shoulder. He internally cringed as she stared down at him before sitting in the chair in front of his desk.

"What is the meaning of this Albus? You obviously wouldn't have sent Fawkes so early in the morning if this were a trivial matter."

"You're right of course Jessica, this is very important. I wanted to speak to you urgently about returning to teach our young pupils the wonders of the English language." She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand to silence her. "There are multiple reasons for my proposal. One of them is that our students need your lessons. Even last year's N.E.W.T students butchered their essays. Your last group of first years would have been more coherent than our current seventh years," he said with a chuckle, coaxing a small grin onto his cousin's face.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me. What is the real reason you want me back here?"

Albus held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Ah, I confess to having ulterior motives for your return my dear. As you know this will be Hermione's first year at Hogwarts. It will also be Harry Potter's first year." He heard her sharp intake of breath. "I know for a fact that there is a follower of Voldemort on our staff, but I don't know who it is. I intend to lure him or her out with the Philosopher's Stone. As such I will not be able to keep Harry safe from this interloper. This is where you come in my dear. I want you to protect your godson this year."

She sat speechless for a moment before shooting to her feet.

"How could you Albus? How could you do this to me?" she hissed.

"What did I do?" the clueless man asked in alarm.

She looked at him with ill-concealed anger on her face.

"You know bloody well what you did. First you deny me the chance to raise him and then you throw me into his life far too late. He'll resent me Albus. He'll resent me for leaving him with his aunt and uncle instead of taking him myself. He will wonder why I never came to see him or watch him grow. He will hate me and it's all because of you!" she cried.

She closed her eyes and a burst of accidental magic blasted stone off of the corner of the fireplace. She sank into her chair silently before she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Do you have any idea how it felt? To lose my husband, my near daughter and son? In the span of a few months?"

He stayed silent.

"I had nothing left to live for. If not for Seth, Dorothy, and my nephew I would have killed myself. And what's worse is that I couldn't tell the boys anything. I kept my emotions bottled up inside and it nearly destroyed me. I had to keep too many secrets and it is because of your cowardice."

Albus looked at her with a grim and haunted face.

"Do not forget Jessica that I do know the pain of losing a child. I also almost lost my wife if you recall."

"Then why would you consciously pile such pain on another person?"

There was a long, pregnant pause. For several minutes neither of them trusted themselves to speak. Finally Jessica sighed in defeat.

"I'll do it Albus. I will do what I can for Harry and Hermione, but on two conditions."

"And what might those be?"

"Since our marriage my husband has given up his practice and retired for the most part. I propose that Seth come with me to work at Hogwarts in assisting Poppy in the Hospital Wing. I would also like to request that the Floo in our rooms at Hogwarts be connected to our house in Cabot Cove."

Albus looked at her thoughtfully for a few moments before nodding, mostly to himself.

"That could work," he mused quietly. "I will do my best to meet your terms. I only ask one additional thing of you Jess."

"And what might that be?"

"I propose that you go home with Fawkes right now and invite your husband to Hogwarts for the day. This evening you will both join Minerva, Hermione, and I for dinner, along with the other professors. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Good," he replied, putting his hands together. "I will see to the political and legal side of things. Your husband is, after all, a Muggle, so there is quite a bit of paperwork involved in allowing him here as I'm sure you remember. It will be my project for the day I assure you."

"Thank you Albus," she replied with some exasperation as Fawkes again landed on her shoulder and erupted into flame. As soon as the flames cleared away from her eyes she saw that the kitchen was empty.

"Seth," she called. It took a few moments before she heard the creaking of the stairs and his muffled greeting. He appeared in the doorway and smiled at her. He had changed into a nicer button-up shirt and slacks accompanied by his standard bowtie.

"How did it go Jess?"

"Well, do you remember how you wanted to retire and take it easy for the rest of your life?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I may or may not have just gotten us both jobs."

"What?"

"At Hogwarts."

"Excuse me?"

"So we will be living there during the year."

Seth sighed quietly.

"You don't do anything in halves do you woman?"

"It took you this long to figure it out?" she asked in mock surprise. He chuckled and swept her up into a hug.

"It seems that you have a lot of explaining to do young lady."

"I do, but it will have to wait a few minutes."

"Why?"

"Because we have to go to Hogwarts!" she answered with a playful smile. Before Seth could say a word she had wrapped one arm tightly around him and caught Fawkes with her other arm. In a roaring blaze of fire they disappeared from the kitchen.

No sooner had the flames receded, and all had become silent again, when Sheriff Metzger came crashing through the back door again. He looked around with wide eyes and sighed.

"I guess I really do need my eyes checked."

 **Hope you've enjoyed this chapter! Suggestions for improvements would be appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 2: Hogwarts

**Sorry about the delay. The world just decided that I had to do absolutely anything but this. My apologies to everyone who has been waiting for a new chapter, and I'll let you get on with it.**

As the flames receded in front of Seth's eyes, he couldn't help but look around the office in absolute wonder. Seeing the childlike expression on his face reminded Jessica of how she had looked and felt when she had first seen the towering spires of Hogwarts on the train in her first year.

The awe of the moment was ripped apart when a voice sounded from behind them.

"Headmaster, you can't possibly allow a Muggle into Hogwarts! It simply can not happen, and certainly wouldn't have in my day."

Seth whirled around, but couldn't find another person in the room other than Jess and Albus. Next to him his wife huffed and pulled a bottle out of the pocket of her robes before marching toward a portrait on the wall.

"Good morning Phineas," she said levelly.

"Ah, Professor Fletcher, a delight as always," replied a rather dark looking man peering at her from the canvas.

"Phineas, I would like you to meet my husband." She pulled Seth up next to her.

"Phineas, this is Seth Hazlitt. Seth, this is a former Headmaster of Hogwarts Phineas Nigellus Black."

"Charmed," the portrait croaked. He looked like he had swallowed a lemon.

Jessica turned back to Seth.

"Here darling." She handed him the bottle in her hand.

"Turpentine? Why would I need turpentine?"

"In case the portraits give you any trouble," she replied with a cryptic look on her face.

He looked at her in confusion then at the painting. Phineas's eyes had gone as wide as saucers and he was emitting a rather strangled noise. Seth blinked and the man had disappeared from the frame. He looked back at her with a grin.

"Well aren't you the plotter."

They were suddenly surrounded by thunderous applause coming from the other portraits. Jessica looked around with a brilliant smile and curtsied lightly. When the clapping died down the present headmaster stood from behind his desk.

"Seth. It's been a long time," the older man said holding out his hand.

"Good to see you too Albus,"Seth replied, taking the proffered hand.

The two men firmly shook hands before Albus turned to Jessica.

"That was… inspired my dear. I haven't seen him that frightened since the first time Fawkes molted in the office," he said with a chuckle.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments before the headmaster continued.

"I have sent for the appropriate paperwork, but it won't be here for a few hours. I haven't changed the password to your rooms since you left," he added. "I know that Guinevere will be happy to see you. She hasn't let anyone set foot over the threshold except for Minerva."

Seth was completely confused, but Jessica nodded firmly. Without another word she took her husband's hand and pulled him out of the office. He was dragged down a winding staircase and into a long, stone corridor. Jessica released Seth's hand and he had to jog to keep up with her long strides. After walking in silence for what felt like an eternity Seth spoke.

"Where are we going Jess?"

"My old quarters."

"Who's Guinevere?"

"You'll find out."

Within seconds they reached a portrait of a beautiful forest with a waterfall and wildflowers. In the center of the image was a young woman clad in green gossamer with dark red hair cascading down her back. She seemed to be grieving. She wasn't crying, but she had the look of someone who had lost all hope.

"Memento Semper," Jessica said quietly.

The woman in the portrait looked up quickly and a smile broke out on her face.

"You're back Jessica. Are you here to stay?"

"Yes Guinevere. I missed you too."

"Who is this?" the girl asked.

'This is my new husband. We'll both be here this year. Could we enter please?"

"Oh yes," Guinevere replied distractedly. "Of course as they have been only yours for the past ten years. Let me know if you need anything!"

The portrait swung out into the corridor and the last they saw of Guinevere was her jumping up and down in glee. The couple stepped through the doorway and Jessica pulled the door shut behind her. Seth looked around him in complete shock.

The rooms were quite large and rather extravagant for only a single person. There was a spacious parlor with a plush sofa and a pair of chairs in front of a rather ornate fireplace. He could see two doors leading out of this main room behind a small dining area. Through one of the doors he saw a large bed and through the other he saw what seemed to be a small kitchen.

"These used to be your quarters Jess?"

"Yes. I'm actually surprised that it's clean, as I left it in quite a state when I left."

"It's so big. How is it that you could occupy such a space by yourself?"

He knew instantly that he'd said something wrong because he saw her face fall slightly.

"For quite a while I didn't. Before Frank got sick he lived here with me. When he fell ill I lived at home and came here in the mornings. After he died I came back here."

"And what made you leave again?"

She sighed, dragging her hand through her hair.

"That requires some explaining. Come sit," she said leading him to the sofa. No sooner did they sit when the fireplace leaped to life. The couple didn't even notice.

"Ten years ago I resigned from my position here because I just couldn't bear to live in this world any longer."

"Why?"

"Throughout history, our world has seen the rise and fall of many Dark witches and wizards. A notable example is Gellert Grindelwald. He rose to power in Germany at the beginning of the twentieth century and began a long and bloody war. If not for his defeat by the most powerful Light wizard of our time, the Allied forces would not have made it to Germany and brought down Hitler."

Seth's eyes widened.

"That explains so much. I saw many things when I served in France that I just couldn't explain, so it makes sense that we were fighting alongside wizards."

"Yes," she agreed before continuing. "The most recent Dark wizard to rise up called himself Voldemort. Up until his fall from power he terrorized Great Britain with his bloodthirsty band of Death Eaters. He was opposed by a group known as the Order of the Phoenix. It was founded by the man who defeated Grindelwald, and fought him tooth and nail. I was one of the most experienced members and I had to watch many old friends and students fall to people who I had either taught or gone to school with. I also had to kill them to make sure that others made it home to their families to fight another day."

She drew in a shaking breath and in that moment she looked far older than fifty-nine years old. It made his heart break for her. He could only imagine that they had seen similar things throughout their lives, fighting for their beliefs. She had it much worse though. Most of the people he had killed had been strangers, but she had known most of her victims.

"His reign of terror came to an end finally, but at a high cost. On Halloween night of 1981 he went to the village of Godric's Hollow and went to the home of two skilled Order members." A fond smile came over her face before it turned bitter. "They were James and Lily Potter and they were two of the brightest children I have ever taught. Both of them were cut down before their prime and died to protect their son. If they hadn't left their wands on the sofa they might have survived."

"What happened to the boy Jess?"

"When Voldemort tried to kill young Harry, something odd happened. The curse rebounded and hit him instead. A one year old child defeated one of the most powerful adult wizards of our time, but he was left an orphan."

"I can understand why you left. To see so much death and destruction must have taken its toll on you."

"There's more to it than just that. It is because of him that I have been brought back," she said tiredly. "Lily Potter and I had been close when I taught her at Hogwarts. She made me the godmother of her son. The night after she died I went to where I knew Albus and Minerva were so that I could retrieve him. When I tried to take him with me, Albus forbade it. Even though he forced me to leave him with his aunt and uncle who despised magic he wants me to come back to keep Harry safe because it's convenient. Losing three very important people in the span of only a few months nearly broke me, and I was furious with Albus. I came back here, packed my things and I was off like a thief in the night."

She turned to him with haunted eyes and raised her hand to his cheek.

"When I came to your door that night I had no reason to live anymore and I couldn't explain to you why. Even without that you built me back up and brought me back from the brink. You showed me that life still had light and I have always been grateful to you for that."

He looked into her pained face and without another word he wrapped his arms around her and their lips met. He tried to show her in that kiss that he understood and he would be there for her. After only a minute the sensations had both of them moaning into each other's mouths. Finally Jessica pulled away gently. She rested her forehead on his and idly traced the buttons on his shirt.

"As much as I would like to continue this there are other things that need to be done," she said with a tinge of reluctance.

"Indeed," he replied quietly. He wrapped his hand around hers and held it there as his expression turned mischievous. "But that doesn't mean that we can't continue this later."

He delighted in the smirk that graced her face. She giggled and manoeuvred herself off of the sofa. She offered her hand to help him pull himself up and once he had stood she turned to head to the door.

"Come on Seth," she called over her shoulder. "I have to introduce you to the people we will be working with this year."

"What are they like Jess?"

She paused in the middle of pushing the portrait open. She turned back to him with a thoughtful look on her face.

"My old friends are… rather peculiar to say the least. By my estimation Poppy is the most normal of them. She is our current mediwitch." She opened the door enough for the both of them to exit and swept down the corridor. She chuckled as he fell into step beside her.

"What's on your mind Jess."

"I was just thinking that we should have enough time today to get through the entire castle. I'm just hoping that the staircases cooperate."

"What do you mean 'cooperate?'"

"Well… the staircases move and connect to different corridors on a whim."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Good. Just don't fall down them Seth. I am not the best a magical healing."

…

That night there was a large dinner with all the staff in the Great Hall. Seth was standing off to the side with a goblet of water while Jessica met with old friends. He felt out of place in such a setting, among robed witches and wizards, surrounded by high ceilings, stone walls and blazing torches. He had never imagined himself in such a place, but to Jessica it seemed natural. As his wife almost literally floated around the room he could tell that she was in her element. She had been born to be here, and he'd only just signed the paperwork.

He was jolted from his thoughts when he felt a sudden cool breeze. He looked to his side and saw that a man was now standing there watching the crowd. The fellow seemed to be rather dark with his black robes and long black hair. His skin was an unhealthy color and his hair was greasy. Seth could see a large, hooked nose peeking out from his curtain of hair. He got the feeling that this was not a person he would want to cross.

His thoughts were again interrupted when he heard the sound of girlish squealing.

"Uncle Seth!" Hermione cried from across the room.

He grinned as she ran toward him. He stooped down and caught her in his arms. The both of them were laughing as he picked the girl up.

"I missed you Uncle Seth."

"I missed you too Hermione. Are you excited for school to start?"

"Yes," she replied, nodding animatedly.

Seth placed her back on the ground and another voice rang out from beside him.

"And what will be your favorite class my dear?" came a deep and silky sound.

Seth turned to see that the sombre man was smiling softly. The girl smiled mischievously at him.

"You'll just have to wait and see Uncle Severus," she replied coyly.

The two men chuckled and Seth crouched down to look her in the eye.

"As much as I love having such an intelligent young lady to speak to," Seth murmured. "There is someone over there who would love to see you."

He pointed across the room toward Jessica and watched as the girl's face seemed to light up. She dashed across the room without another word. Seth stood up and turned toward his companion.

"So, is your full name 'Uncle Severus' or should I call you something else?" Seth asked as he looked up at the taller man's face.

"I am Severus Snape. I am the Potions professor here at Hogwarts," he said with a short nod. "And are you 'Uncle Seth' or is there a more professional name to call you by?"

"I am Seth Hazlitt. You can call me Seth or Dr. Hazlitt if you prefer. I will be assisting Madam Pomfrey while my wife is teaching."

Severus frowned in confusion.

"I don't recall any vacant positions. Unless they've finally sacked Sybill."

"Sybill? Who is that?"

Severus scanned the crowd before pointing. Seth followed his finger and found the strangest looking woman he had ever seen. She was covered in long scarves, had long, wild hair, and large, thick glasses. She also seemed to be fairly drunk as she staggered around the room.

"She's been in the sherry again," Severus muttered, shaking his head. "She usually can't even stand," he confided.

"I can't tell if that's a woman or an insect," Seth murmured in disbelief as he peered over his glasses. "What subject does she teach?"

"Divination," he said with disdain.

"What in Sam Hill is Divination?"

"At its core? Fortune telling. Is it not offered at Ilvermorny?"

"Where?"

"The North American wizarding school. You are American, didn't you attend Ilvermorny?"

"Oh no," Seth replied. "I'm a Muggle, and I have never heard of that school. I apologize if I gave you a false impression."

Severus looked down at him in shock.

"How are you here if you're a Muggle?"

"My wife refused to take the English Professor position if I wasn't helping in the hospital," Seth replied with a shrug.

"There hasn't been an English professor since I was in school. Who is your wife Dr. Hazlitt? Have I met her?"

"Perhaps you have, she did go to Hogwarts before she moved to America," Seth replied. "And even if you haven't met her, you can now. Here she comes."

He smiled lovingly at his wife as she made her way over. She returned the look all the way to him. When she had made it to his side she glanced at Severus and stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened and she looked at him in shock. Seth glanced toward Severus and saw a matching look on his face.

"Professor Fletcher?" the younger man asked faintly.

"Severus Snape?" Jessica asked in disbelief.

The pair stared at each other for a moment before Jessica stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Severus. He tensed in surprise before he relaxed into the exceedingly strange hug. After what seemed to be an eternity Severus pulled away. He nodded at Jessica before he swept away and out of the Great Hall. Seth turned to Jessica and saw the way she looked after the other professor. It was a look of regret and grief.

"Jess," he said, tentatively touching her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she murmured. "I'm rather tired darling, I'm going to go up to our rooms. Can you find your way?"

"Of course Jess. I'll be up soon," he said.

She smiled and went straight for the door. Seth stayed for a few more minutes before following her. He would bring this up later, because now just wasn't the time.

 **Hello again. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what your thoughts are. I want to make sure that there are no mistakes.**


	4. Chapter 3: Reunions

On August 31st Jessica woke up early. Over the past several weeks she and Seth had moved many of their belongings to their rooms in Hogwarts. She had prepared all of her lesson plans through December, and Seth had familiarized himself with wizarding medicine. All she needed to do now was go to Little Whinging.

She tried her best to get out of bed silently, but as soon as she had moved out from under the blankets Seth sat up. She hadn't been careful enough pulling herself out of his arms.

"What time is it Jess?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"It's six o'clock Seth," she replied while she threw on her robe.

"Breakfast isn't until nine, what are you doing up?" he asked as he got out of bed to put on his robe.

He followed her out of their bedroom into the parlor. She was digging through different volumes in their bookshelves when she finally pulled out what looked like a photo album.

"I have to leave the castle early today. I'll stop by the kitchens before I leave."

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to Little Whinging to see Harry. Albus has told me to stay away from him, but I can't do that, not now," she replied, vaguely flipping through the book.

"Then I'm going with you. If the boy is your family then he's mine as well," Seth insisted.

A happy smile lit up Jessica's face. She closed the album, turned to her husband and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Seth, I love you so much. You do know that right?"

"Yes, I believe that had been established," he replied cheekily. "Now let's not waste any time! We have a godson to visit after all."

She flashed him another tender smile and dashed back into the bedroom as giddy as a schoolgirl. He chuckled at her exuberance before following right behind her.

…

"Seth bloody Hazlitt, drive on the bloody left side of the bloody road!" Jessica hissed at her husband for what seemed like the fiftieth time that morning.

"Sorry dear," the poor harried man grunted as he pulled back onto the left side of the road and screeched to a halt. The car jerked a bit and then went still.

"There we are dear," Seth told her proudly. She gave him a somewhat withering glance, but then shrugged.

"I think that half of that was the fault of the car," she told him. "I don't know what Arthur did, but whatever it was makes this clunky old thing almost dead on its tires. Well no matter, we got here in the end despite the fact that you aren't used to driving on the left side of the road."

"You mean the wrong side of the road," he huffed.

 _Good God not this again_ , she thought to herself. They had had this argument so many times since they had met it wasn't even funny anymore.

"I think this is the right street," she said, pretending to ignore his comment. She glanced up and down the street and smiled. She pointed to a quaint little house at the very end of the street next to a dead end. "There it is." She hopped out of the car with her purse quicker than Seth could, but he was soon following her down the sidewalk.

After a minute or so Jessica stood in front of the door. She raised her arm and after a moment of hesitance she knocked. The pair could hear a bit of shuffling for a few moments before the door opened. At the door was a small boy with messy, jet-black hair. Curious green eyes shone from behind ill-fitting glasses beneath a peculiar scar on his forehead. Apart from the lightning bolt cut into his head, he looked like any normal boy, but Jessica and Seth saw far more than that.

The boy was eleven years old, yet he was at the height of an eight or nine year-old. That in itself wasn't much, but the rest of him showed neglect. His clothes were worn and many sizes too big. The baggy clothes weren't enough to disguise the fact that he was dangerously thin. His glasses were obviously broken, with nothing but tape holding them together. Behind the curiosity on his face was a wariness and suspicion.

"Hello," he greeted respectfully. "May I help you?" Jessica had to stifle a sob.

"Yes, Harry." His eyes widened in surprise. "Could we come in? It seems that I have to speak with your aunt and uncle."

"Yes ma'am," he replied meekly. "Follow me please." Jess and Seth went with the boy into the sitting room and pointed them toward a sofa.

"Wait here, please," he instructed. "I'll go get Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon." The pair sat down while he darted out of the room. Seth looked toward his wife and saw the barely controlled rage in her eyes.

"Jess." He put his hand over hers. They were clenched tightly in her lap. "Don't do anything you'll regret."

"Don't worry," she replied, her musical voice as sharp as steel. "I know what I'm doing." A few moments later Harry returned with his guardians in tow. Petunia took one step into the room and stopped dead in her tracks.

"You," came her breathless exclamation of horror. "What are you doing here?" Jessica was unfazed. She looked to Harry.

"Harry, could you go outside with your cousin?" she asked, her tone only slightly alarming. Her eyes fell upon a whale of a boy standing behind Harry. "Be nice to each other boys." Dudley's eyes widened because she left no room for argument. The pair of boys darted out the front door, and Jessica caught a small sound as the door closed. It was something that only fanned at her fury.

She turned her eyes to the Dursleys. Vernon and Petunia looked at her with ill-concealed terror. Jessica still looked calm, but Seth knew that such looks could be deceiving. He could feel the tension in her shoulders, and her knuckles were white for she was clenching them so hard. He could hear the tension in her voice still. She pointed at the other sofa in the room.

"Sit," she ordered. Instantly the other couple moved and sat down. Wisely, they kept their eyes on her the whole time. After a heavy silence, her broken whisper cut through the air. "Why?"

"Why, what?" Petunia asked.

"I asked you to care for him. You promised that he would be safe and loved." Her blue eyes are searching. "You swore that you would save Lily's boy. Why did you deceive me so?"

"You are mistaken Mrs. Fletcher," Petunia insisted. "He has been cared for."

"Physically, yes, but on a basic scale." Seth squeezed her hand. "Obviously you haven't loved him as you told me you would."

"He insists on being like that," Vernon protested. "He wants to live like a little hermit."

"Don't feed me that balderdash," Jessica exclaimed. Angry magic crackled in the air around her "I heard what your boy called him." Her voice began to crack. "He said, 'how does she know your name, Freak?'"

"How could you have possibly heard that?" Petunia asked.

"That is unimportant. What matters here, is how you have treated Harry." Seth, seeing how close his wife was to her breaking point, decided to step in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, I'm Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Jessica's husband." The pair's eyes widened comically. "From what I've seen of your nephew, he fits the basic profile of every abused child I've ever worked with. He's too wary for a young boy, he's too small for his age, he doesn't wear proper clothes and his glasses are in desperate need of replacement. He looks to be severely underfed." Seth was growling now. "He is the opposite of his well-fed and well clothed cousin, and frankly, you should not be allowed to care for a child."

"We were trying to save him," Petunia blurted out.

"What?" Jessica asked. "What were you trying to save him from?"

"I lost Lily because of magic." Tears began running down the younger woman's face. "Magic killed her. I thought that if we could make him into a muggle like us he would be safe. I didn't want him to go the same way as his parents."

"And the odds are that he won't." Jessica's voice had softened the slightest bit. "Most of the witches and wizards I've known have lived to ripe old ages in peace."

"But he'll come back." Petunia looked truly afraid now. "He'll come back and hunt Harry down." Jessica had no real answer to that.

"That's no reason to treat him so badly," Jessica insisted. "He would have had magic no matter what you did. If and when Voldemort returns, he will be prepared. Hogwarts is truly the best school for magic, and he will be kept safe." She paused, and her gaze turned angry again. "Now, if you don't clean up your act, the next time I come into this house I will kill you. Is that _perfectly clear_?" Frightened nods were her only response.

She left Seth glaring at the pair and went to the front door. She looked outside and saw the two boys sitting silently on the steps. It seemed like they didn't know what to do with themselves.

"Boys." The pair whipped around. "You can come back inside now." They scuttled around her legs and back into the house with slight terror on their faces. If the situation hadn't been so serious she might have chuckled at the comical nature of their expressions.

The small group trooped into the living room where Seth and the elder Dursleys waited. The boys went to sit on the floor while the adults sat on the available furniture. Then there reigned an extremely uncomfortable silence. Dudley looked impatiently between the two couples seated before him.

"Who are you?" he finally whined. His mother abruptly shot him a warning look.

"Yes," Harry finally piped up. "Who exactly are you?"

Jess shot a look at her husband before facing the child.

"Well Harry," she started. "My name is Jessica Fletcher. I will be your English Professor this year. I also knew your parents."

"Really?" The wonder in his eyes finally brought another smile to her face, but it didn't calm the storm now raging in her mind. She had been lied to for nigh on ten years, but now she was going to rip the veil of secrecy down. Never again was she going to let Albus bloody Dumbledore come between her and Harry.

 _ **Hello all! So, I regret to inform you that updates are going to be rather sporadic for a while. With summer and final exams coming I simply won't have time to update for some time. I'm sorry, but have faith that life will soon become far less stressful. Thank you very much for reading and enjoying so far.**_


	5. The Hogwarts Express (Part One)

"Are you sure that you want to sit by yourself, Harry?" Jessica shouted over the noise of the platform. "You can always sit with me."

"I'll be fine, Professor Fletcher," Harry replied. _I might as well start making some friends._

She shot him a disbelieving look.

"Well, if you need me, I'll be at the front of the train. Alright?"

"Yes ma'am," came the ever obedient answer. At the sight of the nervous look on his face, she instinctively crouched down before him and put a hand on each of his shoulders.

"That goes for the school as well," she added. "If at any time you have a concern, or need someone to talk to, feel free to seek out Dr. Hazlitt or me."

"Thank you, Professor," he replied, "but I think I'll be fine."

"Alright, Harry," came her accepting answer. She then turned her attention to the task at hand. "Let's get you on the train then."

Harry followed closely behind her with his luggage as she led him through the thick crowds and heavy steam. As he trailed along behind her, he couldn't help but marvel at the ease with which she seemed to transition between a witch and a muggle.

Most of the magical folk he had met so far had been more eccentric than not, while Professor Fletcher seemed to be rather ordinary. Instead of arriving at the door in brightly colored robes she had looked like someone who could have been a teacher at his primary school. There were many things about her that Harry was curious about.

He was jolted from his thoughts as he was nearly run over by a group of older students. He recovered and looked around him, only to realize he had lost the professor in the fog. He was on the verge of panicking when he saw her waving to him from beside a shorter woman. He made a beeline for her as calmly as he could muster.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I thought you were behind me. Are you alright?" she asked in concern as the small boy reached her side. At his nod, she smiled and put a hand on his shoulder, a measure to keep the situation from repeating itself. She turned to the shorter woman next to her. "Molly, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is Mrs. Molly Weasley."

"Lovely to meet you, Harry," Molly said with motherly affection in her voice. "Are you excited to be going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm very excited," he replied shyly.

"Excellent." The woman looked up sharply and looked around her before shouting "Boys! Ginny! Get back here, now!"

Suddenly, out of the crowd came a group of redheads. Harry was awed both at the speed of their approach, and by the volume of their mother's shout. Mrs. Weasley smiled again.

"Children, this is Harry. Harry, these are my boys Fred, George, and Ronald, and their sister, Ginny," she told him as she gestured to each of them. The motley group of children grinned. The oldest stuck out his hand.

"I'm Percy," he told the younger boy warmly. "Nice to meet you, Harry." Harry shook his hand with a shy smile. The two twins stepped forward.

"Hiya, Harry-," the first twin started.

"Nice to meet you-," the second continued.

"We are Gred-"

"And Forge-"

"Or Fred-"

"And George."

"Mischief-making-"

"Extraordinaires!"

Molly rolled her eyes at the antics of the pair and pushed her younger son forward gently. He tentatively held out his hand, a less confident mimicry of Percy.

"I'm Ron," he told Harry quietly. "It's my first year too."

Harry's expression visibly brightened. He clasped Ron's hand firmly and grinned at him. Next, the little girl stepped toward him.

"I'm Ginny," she said without much ceremony. She shook hands with Harry before tucking herself back behind her mother with wide eyes. Harry looked back up at Jessica uncertainly and she smiled gently.

"How about you get a compartment with Ron while I speak with Mrs. Weasley."

Harry nodded and dashed off with Ron toward the train. Jessica shook her head fondly and Molly chuckled beside her.

"I was worried about my Ronnie. Now, I feel much better." Jessica nodded in agreement.

"I was concerned for Harry as well. I wasn't sure that he would be able, or even willing, to make friends," she confided in the younger woman. "Knowing you and Arthur, I'm sure that he and Ron will get along splendidly" The pair were quiet for a moment before Molly spoke up.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you on the platform today. What brought you back to Hogwarts after everything that… happened?"

"I think you know why I came back," she replied cautiously, with a hint of sorrow in her voice. She shot a quick glance at the train, and Molly understood immediately.

"Does he know, Jess?"

"Not yet."

…

"What do you think they're talking about?" Ron asked, his nose pressed against the glass.

"I don't know, Ron," an equally curious Harry replied. The two women had been speaking intently on the platform for several minutes, and the boys were wondering why.

"Do you know Professor Fletcher?" Ron shook his head.

"I've never seen her before."

 _Then how they know each other?_ Harry didn't wonder for much longer as the train whistle sounded one last time. With greater speed than it seemed a woman her age should possess, the professor bounded onto the train as it began to pull away from the station. In a few moments she appeared at the door of the boy's compartment.

"Are you two settled?" she asked kindly. She smiled as they nodded their confirmation. "Good. If you need me, I'll be in the staff car just ahead of the first year car." And then, in the blink of an eye, she had swept away. Harry pushed her out of his mind for the moment, and looked to his ginger companion.

"So, tell me about yourself, Ron."

 _ **I can't apologize enough for the lack of updates. Until recently, I had awful writers block. This chapter is rather short, but hopefully you can forgive me. I hope to give you more soon.**_

 _ **As always, feel free to leave feedback.**_


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